European Heads of State review their respective forces mobilizing for World War I. Glimpses of trench warfare.

Location:
Europe Date:1914Duration:1 min 51 secSound:Yes

Kaiser Wilhelm walks among German troops assembled for inspection in Berlin at outbreak of World War 1. The Kaiser and senior commanders review the troops on parade. The last contingent in the parade comprises civilian officials in top hats. French Prime Minister, Alexandre Ribot, is saluted by a military honor guard as he exits a building. He doffs his hat and turns in deference, as Raymond Poincaré, President of France exits behind him. They both enter a waiting car, followed by the French Minister of War, Jean Brun., who joins them. As they are being made comfortable in the car, French General Ferdinand Foch, exits the building (wearing a great coat) and is escorted by another General. In Russia, Emperor, Tsar nicholas ll, leads military commanders as they review a contingent of Russian guards in formation on the platform of a train station in Moscow. Camera pans across crowds filling the Palace Square, St. Petersburg, upon the declaration of war on 20, July, 1914. Base of the Alexander Column visible in center of crowd. Russian troops file into well established trenches. Huge explosions raise tons of earth amongst the trenches. Troops flee for safety. Many take cover in large shell craters. Several fall to machine gun fire, near barbed wire. A book is opened to a page entitled: "Military Program Proletarian Revolution" (in Russian). German troops are seen from above and behind sheltered in a trench with a desolate battlefield in front of them. Closeup of the troops. Next, Russian troops who died are seen in a water-filled trench. One is holding an M1891/Mosin–Nagant firle. Closeup of another soldier, covered in mud leaning against sandbags. Bodies of two soldiers at a pond of water in their trench. One is immersed, with face up, in the pond and the other is reaching down into it. What appear to be the bodies of soldiers entangled in barbed wire at edge of trench..